17 Things Indie Authors can Share on Social Media in 2017

The end of 2016 was a time for introspection and family, and now that 2017 is here, we are already hearing from indie authors who are hitting the ground running on their book marketing! If you haven’t yet begun to make a plan of action for 2017, then you may want to read our December article that offers 17 ways to sell more books this year! The third item in that article is to “refine your social media.” But even if you’ve already figured out which social networks are driving traffic to your book and/or website, like many people, you may have a tough time deciding what exactly to share on social media in 2017. Our team has compiled these 17 ideas for you to consider as you begin kicking your social media—and book promotion—into high gear.

Ask Fans for Input – Ask your fans to review your book, or who their favorite characters are – they may even give you an idea for a future book or novella, but more importantly, you’ll keep them engaged!

Share Quotes – Use Canva to pull together an easy image, whether using a quote from your book, a quote about your book, or even just fun memes (those funny pictures with text you see people sharing).

Share Books You Love – Not every post has to be self-promotion, and in fact, it shouldn’t be. Share a book that you really enjoyed, and what you loved about it. This will give another author a potential boost, but it also sets you up as a valuable resource to help readers find their next great books.

Share Your Love for Writing and Books – Tell your readers why you do what you do; help them get to know you. If they feel like you have connected with them, they’re more likely to follow your accomplishments and future books.

Thank People – Each time someone does something great, be sure to thank them. And while personal notes are great, what will really make them stand out is a social media mention. If they offer a great service, tell your fans why you love working with them. This goes back to connecting with people on a personal level and being a great resource.

Share Good News – Have something exciting coming up? Get a major review for your book? Your fans will cheer on your success – so share with them.

What Are You Reading? – Just like #3 above, telling people what you’re reading is a great conversation starter and potential boost for another author!

Share Your Library – This could be a picture of the wall-to-wall bookshelves that are overflowing with books, or it could be a snapshot of your to-be-read (TBR) pile.

Contests? – Know of any great giveaways? They could be books, products, whatever! Give a nod to whoever is offering them and then share, share away with your fans!

Fill in the Blanks – Mad libs was a fun game when you were a kid, and now, with social media, it’s just as entertaining! See what fun ideas your fans have – and maybe, just maybe, in addition to boosting engagement it’ll spark the idea for your bestseller!

Share Song Playlists by Book or Book Character – This is a fun one! What would your characters be listening to? Or, what songs describe their moods or attributes? Help your readers get inside your character’s – and your – head!

Answer FAQs – this is fun! What are some of the common questions you get? What do you think people would be most likely to ask you? This can turn into a great blog post or article series… and if you’re stumped, think about what you’d like to know from some of your favorite authors.

Share Good News (not just yours) – I always say that we should be connectors. Share in your friends’ successes, and take delight in what goes well for others…. One day they just might return the favor.

Celebrate Your Character’s Birthdays and/or Major Life Events – this will help make your characters real to your readers! Real people have birthdays (or un-birthdays), weddings, anniversaries, etc!

Share Things You’re Interested in (so fans can get to know you) – Be a connector! If your fans like your work (and they do!), it stands to reason that they might just love some of the same things you do.

Show off Your Pets – this is my favorite thing to do. Pets are very personal, and everyone who has one loves seeing the exploits of other people’s furry, four-legged kids.

These 17 ideas should give you a great place to start! And, if you need some ideas on how to make the most of social media, check out some of these articles we wrote in 2016 on Facebook, (plus this article on Facebook’s Marketing Power) Instagram, and Twitter. If you’re new to creating images for use on social media, this article on creating picture-perfect images offers great advice. Plus, as we began pulling together ideas for items to share, we had a tough time stopping at 17, so tune in next week for 17 MORE things you can share on social media.

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